Mutilated Melancholy
by Enigmatic Remnant
Summary: This is an updated version of the first chapter to a story I'm making about the party I'm in for the game Kingdom Hearts Union Cross. Like last time, I can't guarantee any updating schedules, but I'll try to update when I can!
1. Chapter 1

On any other day, Remnant would be meeting his daily lux quota before checking up on the other members in his party leader's stately mansion. The peaceful streets of Daybreak Town would be teeming with other Keyblade wielders not too different from himself, each of which would be shopping, idly mingling by the fountain, or like Remnant, completing missions for other parties.

This however, was no day to relax.

Daybreak Town was in shambles. What once had been a village was now a decimated wasteland. Any greenery still growing would be a rare sight.

About a month ago, a contagious virus had spread from an unknown source. Some wielders rumored that it came from a failed experiment. Others believed that a rare breed of Heartless had struck a small area, and the plague it carried spread out from there. Over time, this virus came to be known as the Chi virus.

Regardless of how it started, everyone suffered in some form. Friends were lost, cities evacuated, and very few survivors. Keyblade wielders both strong and weak were struck by the horrific plague which suddenly struck their once peaceful world. Granted, Daybreak Town had its share of Heartless invasions. But in the long run, all of the Heartless attacks ever recorded fell short to this.

Any parties that were still in fighting condition were quarantined in an isolated section near the outskirts of Daybreak Town. About a week after the Chi virus hit, only fifteen of the thousands of parties in the Vulpes union were left. The party Remnant was in, the _Heaven's Knights_ , was one of the few parties to survive the outbreak. Soon after they were relocated to the outskirts of Daybreak Town, the Union leaders called any remaining parties together that could still fight and gave them the grave task of hunting a new breed of monsters which now threatened their existence- Black Bloods.

Black Bloods were no form of Heartless; these were the creatures that were the byproducts of the deadly virus. They varied slightly in size, but they all had a general appearance- humanoid and covered in mutilated flesh. A couple of wielders who were fortunate enough to escape reported seeing the Black Bloods having mouths with sharp teeth where a wielder's stomach would be, expanding the entire width of the body. Any Heartless that lingered from the Chi virus appeared around people that had survived any Black Blood attacks. It seemed that even the Heartless feared these ferocious new beasts.

Remnant's party was one of the first parties to respond to the task of fighting the Black Bloods. As such, they were the first to see the desolate fragments left of their once beloved home. Not a single sign of life was found no matter where they looked.

Remnant remembered seeing the tattered remains of the _Heaven's Knights_ ' mansion a few days ago. So many fond memories….so many relationships and friendships created….all gone in a matter of hours. The higher-ranked parties in each of the unions usually were given more durable houses and supplies, so their mansion was one of the last structures to be destroyed.

He could still see when he looked out his bedroom window to see Black Bloods scurrying towards their front door. At first, like countless other Keyblade wielders, Remnant thought they were a new breed of Heartless. However…when he saw how they just _opened_ the doors to the mansion, he knew they were no Heartless.

Remnant and a few others from the _Heaven's Knights_ fought alongside him and pushed them out long enough to evacuate everyone from the mansion, but it wasn't long before more came.

 _(End Part 1)_


	2. Chapter 2

Remnant shuddered as he walked along the barren streets with five of his fellow party members.

"Is something wrong, milord Remnant?" Noa, the _Heaven's Knights_ leader, asked.

Remnant paused and looked back at the wielder with light brown, almost pink hair. "N-no, milady Noa! I'm…just a little cold."

Bael, the founder and former leader of the _Heaven's Knights_ , shrugged. "It is getting late."

Noa and Bael both had the party members try to call each other by medieval titles more often to show more respect. It wasn't a rule per say, but Remnant was fond of it and tried to stick with it.

Noa smiled. "If you want, we can stop for tonight and head back to the refuge."

Remnant looked at the others for a moment before looking back towards a dilapidated warehouse about five yards ahead. He could tell something was off.

"No…let's keep going a little more," Remnant spoke. "We're close…they may be in that building."

Earlier, the party had split up into several groups of about four to seven to hunt down Black Bloods around a specific sector of Daybreak Town. However, one group failed to report in at the time each team was supposed to return to the refuge outside the ruined villages. Two members from each group were assigned to a rescue team to try to find the missing team. They had been searching for about two hours now, with nothing to bring back except sore feet.

The group went to the deserted building and cautiously walked beside the wall. Remnant poked his head slowly around the corner. Seeing nothing, he continued around until he reached the wooden door. Saxs, a flirtatious blonde who was dating Noa, approached the door and studied it.

"It's been forced open…" Saxs noted, almost to himself. "You're right- they were here, and it looks like it was recently too."

Maya, the dark brown-haired energetic fighter of the _Heaven's Knights_ , quickly scaled a pile of rubble and looked around. "I don't see any Black Bloods nearby!"

Remnant and Noa both looked at each other before Remnant materialized his blue Keyblade, Memory's Pain. Noa nodded once and materialized her Keyblade as well.

Saxs materialized his Sleeping Lion Keyblade before putting his hand on the door. "You guys ready?"

Remnant and the others nodded, and Saxs kicked the door down.

Heather, the spirited young female fighter with white hair, sighed and shook her head. "You know we could've just opened it milord Saxs."

The suave teen looked back with a smile. "True, but it wouldn't have been as fun!"

The room inside was dark with the only light coming in from the broken doorway and a few cracks in the boarded up windows. There was a fine layer of dust on the tattered remains of furniture and the floor, along with a faint smell of…

"…blood?" Remnant muttered.

Maya sniffed the air and scrunched her face in mild disgust. "Ew..."

"Whatever happens," Noa warned the six, "stay alert. We don't want to lose any more members today."

The other five nodded and cautiously entered the abandoned building.

 _(End of Part 2)_


	3. Chapter 3

The environment weighed down his shoulders with heavy silence. Large scratches and scorch marks marred the walls throughout the building. The windows, covered in muck and grime, hinted gruesome stories with red handprints and sliding fingers. The cool, humid air sent a chill down Remnant's spine as his group searched the building.

"Hey…guys?" Bael motioned the others over. The six walked over to what looked like a doctor's syringe. The brown-haired wielder picked it up carefully and shook it, showing a little blood still in it. "Look familiar?"

Maya's aquamarine eyes widened in realization. "That's Maru's!"

"Milord Maru was one of the members that didn't report in…" Noa frowned.

Remnant lightly touched the barrel of the syringe, careful to not touch anything suspicious. "It's still cold…it must've been his own blood. But…why would milord Maru keep a vial of his own blood…?"

Heather's eyes narrowed as she stared at the syringe. "Hold up…there's something wrong with that blood."

They all looked closer at the syringe. It seemed completely normal, just like their own blood. After a few minutes of watching, Maya spotted something move in it.

"There!" Maya quickly pointed, nearly knocking the syringe out of Bael's hands.

The others watched as a small black strand squirmed through the little pool of blood left in the vial. It twisted and raced around the deep crimson liquid like a hatched mosquito, pausing to shake a little as it released a nearly invisible black substance into the blood. The dark substance spread out more quickly once the shadow-like organism moved again, tainting the blood just a little darker.

Bael frowned and nodded slowly. "Good eye, Maya."

Remnant took a step away from it and looked at Saxs. "What do you make of it, milord?"

Saxs kept looking at it for a moment until he realized Remnant was looking at him. Saxs blinked a few times. "Hm? Sorry…I was just thinking of something."

Noa bopped Saxs's head from behind. "Those better not be pervy thoughts, Saxs!"

Saxs rubbed his head. "Of course not!"

Maya and Heather both glared at Saxs as his eyes bounced around the girls nervously. _Now of all times, Milord?_ Remnant thought, shaking his head incredulously.

"Why would Saxs know anything about chemistry, Rem?" Bael looked up at Remnant, lowering the syringe a little.

"Yeah…" Saxs agreed sheepishly. "Only my bro was a chemist."

Remnant blinked a few times in surprise. "Well…milord Saxs was the closest one to him, so…I thought milord may have picked up a few things from him."

Saxs shook his head and shrugged. "Nope. Sorry, Rem."

Noa looked at Maya, who appeared deep in thought. She reached out and gently put a hand on Maya's back. "Milady Maya, are you okay?"

Maya looked up at the party leader and offered a small smile. "…yeah."

Heather walked up beside Maya and hugged her tightly, catching her by surprise. "Come on, Milady Maya! You can always talk to us! We're your friends after all."

Bael nodded. "It can be hard to lose a brother. But in this party, we're a family. If you're hurting, we want to help you through it."

 _How does she hold up herself like that?_ he wondered with amazement and awe. Maya looked at Remnant for a moment, who bore a gentle smile for her, and grinned. "Thanks guys…I'm okay now."

Heather put Maya back down and aggressively pointed a finger at her. "You better be! Cause if you're not, I'm gonna give you a bigger hug next time!"

Maya gave off a small giggle. "I'm okay! Really!" The brunette curtsied for a moment. "Sorry for that milords and miladies. I'll try not to bother you again like that."

Noa sighed and lightly shook her head. "You're never a bother, dear. Even if we're on a mission, we should look after each other. That's what makes our party so special!"

Saxs flashed a mischievous grin. "Really? I thought it was because of my great looks!"

Noa glared at Saxs for a moment before bending over and flipping him into the air. "No! It's because of how strong we are as a family, you dingus!"

Saxs landed on an old worn out mattress with a thud. Remnant gave a thumbs up to the irate leader. "Nice shot, milady!"

"Why, thank you, milord!" Noa curtsied, a mischievous smile dancing on her lips.

Heather walked over to Saxs and helped him up. The six gathered around the mattress and looked at each other for a moment.

"So…what now, milady Noa?" Remnant asked.

Noa quickly scanned the large room they stood in before looking back at Remnant. "Well, since there aren't any Black Bloods in here, I'd say we keep looking."

Remnant looked at another set of double metal doors a few yards away from the mattress, with windows baring jagged, glassy teeth. One of the doors was partially opened, revealing a pitch-black hallway that beckoned him with deathly whispers.

"Oh this'll be fun…" Remnant muttered.

 _(End Part 3)_


	4. Chapter 4

Saxs carefully approached the metal doors, Keyblade in hand. Noa and the other four followed, giving him a few feet of space. The blonde boy looked back at his party members and nodded before raising his leg.

"Don't even think about it, Saxs!" Heather yanked Saxs back, causing him to stumble. "If they're in there, they'll know we're here if you kick the door down."

Saxs gestured with his hand towards the doors. "Perhaps you'd like to do the honors then?"

Heather's eyes widened for a moment before stepping back. "M-me!?" Heather puffed her cheeks a little before muttering, "Fine…."

Heather slowly walked over to the door after Saxs moved aside and gently poked the opened door with the tip of her Keyblade. Saxs gave her a cynical look that silently spoke, "Seriously?" Heather slowly ducked her head between the rusted doors, her small frame quivering in the feeble light. After a long moment, she slowly stepped back.

"Well?" Saxs crossed his arms. "What did you see?"

"Oh," the white-haired girl blinked a few times, "it was too dark to see anything."

Almost in unison, Saxs and Remnant both facepalmed and looked up at Heather. The girl looked at them for a moment before snickering.

"Hey!" Remnant frowned. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing!" A sly grin played across Heather's lips.

Noa sighed, her lips twisted into a small scowl and her eyes carrying dark bags. "Heather, you might want to take another look."

"No need."

A sudden chill in the air made the five look back at the doors to see Bael emerge from the dark hallway. Remnant felt a chill go down his spine. I hate it when he does that….

"Ah! Milord Bael," the leader smiled, "what did you find?"

The young man lowered his head for a moment, gathering his thoughts.

Maya walked up to Bael, her steps hesitant and imprecise. "Is Maru…?"

Bael looked up at the girl for a moment before turning his head. "It's…better to see for yourself."

The brunette started to run past Bael, anxious to reunite with her brother, but jerked to a stop as the dark veteran tightly grabbed her wrist. "Wait."

For a moment, Maya glared into Bael's eyes. Her expression slowly changed from determined, to fearful, and finally to bitterly sorrowful. Tears quickly welled up in the girl's aquamarine eyes as realization dawned upon her. Remnant slowly walked behind Maya and placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort the girl. He looked up into the man's steely eyes and studied them for a moment.

"What did you do to her…?" Remnant barely whispered.

Bael locked eyes with Remnant. He slowly released Maya, watching the girl fall into the boy's blue-cloaked arms. Maya softly cried as the former leader turned to Noa.

"They're in there," Bael explained, "…but so are our friends. They aren't in one piece anymore…"

Remnant, Saxs, Noa, and Heather all looked at Bael, disbelief in their eyes. For a few minutes, only Maya's gentle sobs could be heard through the corroded walls. Finally, the young leader took a deep breath, breaking the silence.

"Milords….miladies…" Noa spoke, her voice wavering. "We cannot delay here. Our job remains the same. Even if we've lost some of our own today, we can't let these monsters rest while we mourn. We must strike back and show them that we will not hold back just because we're smaller in number!"

The others looked at Noa, who seemed to radiate with a new sense of courage. Noa's warm presence felt comforting as she spoke. Even Maya had stopped crying!

"I know that this is hard for each of you," Noa slowly walked around to each of them. "This is not something to be taken lightly, but we can't give the Black Bloods the opportunity to recuperate." Noa stopped a few feet away from Remnant and held her hand out to him.

"Milord Remnant. When you witnessed parties abandon you, you didn't give up, did you?"

Remnant paused for a moment before shaking his head. "No, milady."

Noa squatted down and smiled at Maya. "Maya, when you and Maru fought that Darkside with Keksis, you didn't leave your brother, did you?"

Maya looked up at Noa and quickly shook her head. "I would never!"

The exuberant woman stood back up and turned to the others. "We can't give up on our friends now! If we were in their places, they would keep going until the Black Bloods paid for what they did to us. This is not the time to be afraid milords and ladies. If we hesitate now, they'll only come back to attack us. I need all of you with me now more than ever." Noa lifted her fist into the air. "Now who's with me?!"

The other five raised their hands in unison. Remnant smiled. There's the leader we know and trust.

"We're with you all the way, honey!" Saxs grinned wildly.

Remnant helped Maya to her feet as Noa looked at Bael. "Milord Bael, since you already scouted the area, do you think you could lead the way?"

Bael gave a quick bow. "It would be my pleasure, milady."

The veteran leader turned and started to walk into the shadowy corridor with the others close behind him.

 _(End of Part 4)  
_

* * *

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR: I'm sorry this chapter took a little longer to upload. At the time I was working on this, a lot of stuff was happening IRL, from working on scholarships for my next semester to even getting a job today! There were also some...personal struggles with a party in KHUX. Current members of the Heaven's Knights understand what I refer to. However, things have been…sorted out, more or less. Although the sequence of events was a bit stressful, I was able to continue on with this. I wish the best to the Heaven's Knights, and I thank every one of you for being so supportive of me! I'd like to give my Beta Reader an even bigger thank you for all she's done to help me! She's helped me to grow as a writer in ways I couldn't have done on my own. It's been an honor to work with the MistressOfBetween, and I look forward to continuing to work with her!

…and no, I am not ending the story here. There is plenty more to Mutilated Melancholy in the future!

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR: Hello, everybody~! It's Tenshi, the one and only Mistress of Between (or, as some may be more familiar with, Lady Nutcracker)! I was granted a gracious opportunity to speak to the author's readers. I just want to say that it's been an honor to be chosen as the beta reader and mentor for one of my best friends in the party. Writing has always been a big part of my life, so being able to share my experience and advice to a fellow writer is one of the greatest feelings. I enjoy being the first reader of every chapter and offering suggestions so the rest of the world can enjoy its perfection (by the way, work faster, Remnant!). I hope you all continue to enjoy his hard work!


	5. Chapter 5

The hall was deathly silent, a cold draft blowing through the dark corridors. The echoes of the six members' footsteps pierced the harsh silence, giving each of them a chill down their back, save for the young master of darkness. Bael quietly led the others through the darkness, pausing only to make sure the others weren't lost.

"Wh-why does it feel like we're walking in Bael's dark corridors again?" Heather groaned as her small frame shuddered.

"Hm…?" Bael stopped abruptly, causing Heather to run into him.

The blonde let out a small shriek as she abruptly hit the dark lord of the _Knights_ , causing her to materialize her Keyblade and swing wildly. Bael quickly grabbed the staff of her weapon before it could collide with the others, glaring into Heather's eyes. "It's just me."

The young girl sighed shakily as her blade dematerialized. "S-sorry, Milord Bael…I thought you were one of those Black Bloods…"

"We haven't even seen any yet!" Saxs laughed behind the group.

Heather's petite figure slumped in the dim hallways as she whimpered softly. "It's not my fault my mind tends to wander…."

Remnant, a few feet behind Heather and Noa, carefully walked up to the distraught girl and gave her a gentle pat on the back. "We all have a nagging feeling of what's in store for us, Milady. Although…we could use a little more light in here…"

"I can take care of that!" the vibrant leader curtsied with a faint giggle. Noa held her hand up, casting a faint glow to illuminate the empty corridors. A gentle warmth radiated in the luminescent aura Noa created, comforting each of the members.

Heather sighed softly and closed her eyes, a gentle smile spreading across her lips. "Much better…thank you, divine sister!" The spirited blonde threw her arms around Noa's neck.

Noa smiled warmly as she hugged Heather with her free arm. "Of course! Anything for my dear table-flipping sis!"

The six continued onward with Bael and Noa leading the group through the cold murky halls. After a few minutes of walking in silence, a wide corridor started to come into view to the left of the hall. Busted hinges were the only remaining signs that two doors once stood there. The dark veteran held up his arm, and the five quickly halted as he slowly lowered his hand.

"Wh-why are we-" Maya started, only to be silenced by Bael.

"Noa…dim that light," the former leader ordered. "We're close."

The strawberry-blonde leader quickly lowered her hand, slightly clenching it to diminish the warm glow around them. Her eyebrows knit together as Noa bit her lip. Bael quietly moved to the side of the hallway, motioning the others to do the same. The air started to grow cold as they drew nearer- even more so than when they first entered! The deathly reek intruded their nostrils, making their stomachs churn with nausea.

The dark veteran clenched his fist, summoning his Keyblade. The others quickly did the same as he peeked around the corner. With a wave of his hand, the group quietly followed Bael into a large storage room. Horror seized Maya's heart as she gasped sharply at the grotesque scenery they now faced.

 _(To be continued in Chapter 6)_

* * *

 _I apologize for posting this chapter so late...my job has been keeping me busy lately with random schedule hours! However, with the help of the MistressofBetween and some encouragement from Glennt123, I've been able to get back into action more regularly. Be sure to check out both of them and show them some love!_

 _Although my schedule's been rather chaotic as well as other mishaps in life, I'll still try to post chapter 6 a little sooner. Anyway, thank you so much for reading Mutilated Melancholy! The best is yet to come!_

 _...if you've truly read through all of the chapters, here's something you the reader can do to show your appreciation:_

 _Make sure to leave a comment saying **Roxas+Xion for life!** and tell me your favorite part of the story so far, and be sure to tell me what you think can be improved!_


	6. Chapter 6

_"By now, I'm sure all of you have seen the threat we now face."_

 _Ephemer, a young boy with white messy hair, stood close to the edge of an old hill overlooking a cliff. His back faced away from the ruined city they called home as he spoke to the many Unions in front of him. Beside the young leader were four others, each scanning the multitude of traumatized wielders to ensure that all were safe. One of the five teenagers standing at the cliffside, a young boy with blonde hair, seemed to gaze at Ephemer in somewhat of a daze, almost entranced by the leader's words._

 _"This has taken us all by surprise, as you can tell by the small number of us that are left. However, we can't let this new menace keep us from moving forward!"_

 _Earlier in the morning, the once peaceful town sang with screams, chaos reaching as far as the Keyblade wielders could run. Very few knew what the cause of the commotion was, but no one stopped to question as any who were left behind were struck down by the freak massacre. Several of the others around them started to whisper what they thought was the cause of the terror. Most believed that a new breed of Heartless had invaded Daybreak Town: an invisible nightmare which no wielder had ever witnessed before. A few claimed to have seen the monsters firsthand, frantically describing huge bulking bodies and bony appendages; the strangest part about their descriptions was their large menacing mouths gaping hungrily where their stomachs growled._

 _Sensing some of the parties were getting rowdy, another of the five with a dark hat covering his eyes from view held his hand up to silence the wielders. When the other parties calmed down, he spoke in a cynical tone. "We know how hard this can be for some of you, losing a close friend or even a fellow party member! But we need to focus on what's happening around us so we can figure a way to beat these monsters."_

 _Ephemer nodded in approval as he stepped back in. "That's why we're assigning each party with a portion of the city to cover. Your main focus will be to find any survivors from the attack, but also be ready to fight as a team to take down the monsters."_

 _A young girl with long raven hair stepped beside Ephemer. "We know many of you are still recovering from the attack, so we'll only send in the parties that are strong enough to fight for now. You will be in charge of scouting the area to find how these monsters work. Under NO circumstances should you try to fight them until we have enough information on them! The rest of you will remain here, where we'll try to help heal any wounded and make sure you're ready to fight again."_

 _The pink-haired young man of the group, who had been quietly listening from the side, stood up and spoke. "Once we have enough intel on these things, we'll send in more wielders to scour the streets for them until every one of them is wiped out."/em/p_

 _"We'll make camp here for now and have the strongest teams take turns keeping watch until we can get more out there," Ephemer gestured towards the wasteland behind him._

* * *

The stench of blood burned in their lungs, making the six cringe as they observed the corpses on the floor. The dilapidated room was dimly lit with a few small windows near the top edges of the walls, but it was more than enough to outline four larger figures lying down, growling faintly. Close to them were mutilated corpses with familiar clothing…

It took all of Maya's strength to refrain from screaming at the grotesque body of her brother sprawled on the floor with bite marks decorating his limbs and part of his face. She tightly shut her eyes and clung to Heather, who had been the nearest person to the traumatized brunette. The bright blonde hesitantly hugged the girl's shivering frame, eyes wide as she gazed upon the room. Heather slowly brought Maya away from the room, the others warily backing away from the beasts.

Noa quickly glanced at each of the five's faces before glancing back into the room, her grip tightening on her Keyblade. Saxs could feel the silent rage coming from her as she clenched her teeth. The young wielder gently gripped the leader's shoulder, gently looking into her eyes with a silent message: _Not now...we need to regroup._

The leader of the _Knights_ looked at Bael, who nodded once. She sighed softly and pointed away from the cold room with the six quickly following Noa towards the entrance. Saxs and Remnant backed the group, watching the looming darkness behind them with readied Keyblades.

* * *

Inside the dimly lit room, the battered figure of a young woman tensed for a moment. Her black coat had several shredded areas on her sleeves as well as spattered red stains over her cheek. A few dark red stains discolored her shoulder, forming a small pool of blood underneath the slim figure. Her head slowly lifted up as her eyes quickly opened, her expression blank.

 _End of Part 6_


	7. Chapter 7

It didn't take long before they heard a blood-curdling screech echo through the halls.

"Tch.." Remnant grimaced. "How did we wake them up!?"

Noa took a quick glance behind them and motioned for the six to pick up the pace. "It won't matter if we dawdle here. Come on!" The pink-haired woman led the small faction of the _Knights_ down the poorly lit corridors, using her elegant hand as a beacon to illuminate the way.

As the rusted double doors slowly became visible, more screeches resonated throughout the corridors. Maya's once sulking frame shuddered as the resonating shrieks grew steadily louder.

"Rem! Once we get past the doors, barricade them with anything you can find!" Noa barked as the stone halls filled with the thunderous pounding of claws. The blue-cloaked figure nodded and held his left hand forward, forcing the doors open a few seconds before they reached them. A bright cyan glow erupted from underneath his coat as he turned his palm upwards, focusing on various objects around the room. One by one, they started flying towards the door.

Saxs and Bael quickly closed the doors, jumping away in time as several broken crates and tables piled against the metal doors, barricading them shut. Remnant let out a quiet sigh as the emblem on his back faded away, steadily lowering his hand as his weary frame hunched over. Saxs let out a low whistle, studying the bulking pile of supplies.

"Nice job, Rem!" the fiery youth smirked as he pat Remnant on the back, nearly making him fall over. The boy in blue smiled weakly in response and waved a hand.

"At least you haven't lost your touch, milord!" Heather smiled brightly, resting a hand on his back and sending a quick electric charge through his body.

Remnant shuddered for a moment as he stood up straight. "Hng!" Maya couldn't help but snicker softly at his abrupt wake-up call. Remnant's cheeks turned a bright red as he saw her laugh. "H-Hey! It wasn't that funny…"

The teal-eyed girl grinned as she stuck her tongue out at the flustered boy. "Says you!"

The leader sighed and slowly shook her head. "Thank you for blocking the door, Milord Rem, but we shouldn't rest here. We have no idea how strong those things are, so we-"

A loud _thud_ interrupted Noa, drawing the wielders' attention as the door shook violently. Heather, Remnant, and Maya materialized their Keyblades immediately, each taking an offensive stance. Bael silently stood his ground as the leader frowned beside Saxs.

"Milords and ladies," Noa yelled over the ruckus, "we need to fall back and regroup at a safer location!" The three younger wielders looked at her, their faces written with confusion. "That barricade won't last much longer...and we have no idea how to stop them yet!"

"But..isn't it our job to eliminate the Black Bloods?" Maya shakily asked, warily keeping an eye on the doors.

The dark veteran spoke up. "Ephemer said our first job is to find out more about the monsters, not try to face them head-on."

"He's not wrong…" Heather dematerialized her Keyblade, standing up as she watched Maya. "We wouldn't want to end up like the others."

The brunette tightened her grip on her Keyblade, her voice shaky. "B-but..Maru and the others are still in there…!"

Remnant looked up at Heather and Saxs before sighing softly, letting his Keyblade disappear. The oldest of the three gently placed a hand on the young girl's shuddering shoulder. "Maya…they're our friends too." Maya nervously looked up at him, tears faintly filling her eyes. Remnant firmly gripped her other shoulder, turning her to face him. "..but dying here won't avenge them, and it won't save the others if we can't warn them!"

The teal-eyed girl slowly nodded as she dematerialized her Keyblade. Noa quickly took command of the situation. "Milord Rem, you need to keep those doors from breaking while I get Heather and Maya out of here. Saxs, Bael, I want you two to back Rem up if those things break free!"

Saxs and Bael stood a few feet away from Remnant as the boy raised both hands, focusing intently on the doors. The boy in blue strained under each pounding against the dilapidated door, his foot sliding back every few seconds. The fiery fighter shot a couple of fireballs at the hinges, welding the battered door to the wall. Remnant forced a weak smile, nodding in gratitude as he slowly regained his posture. The former leader of the _Knights_ muttered a few words, surrounding the youngest of the three in a green aura for a moment.

Meanwhile, Noa guided Heather and Maya out to the entrance. After getting them out, the spirited leader shouted over her shoulder, "Fall back!"

The three young men quickly fled towards the exit, watching as the door bent outward from the force thrusted upon it by the Black Bloods. As Saxs exited the building, he turned around and slammed the doors shut, firing a small beam of fire along the edges of the door with his finger. Upon finishing, the blonde flamethrower lightly blew on his finger like the barrel of a gun. "All done!"

"Just in case…" Remnant lifted his hand, raising several large rocks around them. With a flick of the hand, the boulders quickly crashed beside the door, completely barricading it.

Saxs smirked playfully and raised his hand towards his blue-coated ally. "Nice job, Rem!"

Remnant laughed lightly as he high-fived the bold blonde. "Who needs a security system with us around?"

The pink-haired leader sighed quietly, stealing a faint grin. "Excellent job, Milord Rem and Saxs. We better head back and let the others know about the Black Bloods here. They should at least be able to observe them now that there's a place to hold them." The graceful woman turned to Maya, who was slowly dragging her foot in the dirt. Noa quietly approached the brunette, wrapping an arm around her back. "Milady Maya, I'm very sorry for what happened to your brother…but there was nothing we could do for him by staying behind. It's better to move on from here and keep fighting for him. I promise things will get better for us!" The young girl looked up into Noa's violet eyes, returning her gentle smile with a tight hug.

"Besides," Heather added with a playful grin, "it's not like those things are gonna escape with all that stuff blocking the exit, right?"

"Those aren't the only Black Bloods in Daybreak Town, Heather," Bael spoke behind her, making the exuberant blonde quickly jump.

"Bael's right," Saxs crossed his arms. "We should head back before more show up."

Noa looked up at the indigo-colored sky, a small frown tugging down the corners of her lips. "It's getting too dark to travel far…we better make camp nearby."

The four gathered around their leader. Remnant held his hand out to Maya, gently pulling the spirited teen to her feet. "So…who's got the first watch?"

Heather smiled mischievously and yelled, "One, two, three!"

"Not it!" Noa wildly flipped the azure-appareled boy as the others quickly followed suit.

Bael smirked at Remnant. "Guess you're up first, Rem."

"As you wish, Milord," Remnant sat up and sighed before slowly standing up. "Where shall we set up camp, Milady Noa?"

Noa slowly scanned the horizon, eyes narrowed. "I remember seeing a small plain nearby…"

"Oh!" Maya piped up, her eyes regaining their usual brightness. "I know where you mean, Milady! That's where the market used to be!"

The small group quickly grew silent. They each held memorable moment of the original Daybreak Town before the mutant massacre. None of the _Knights_ took the tragedy that befell their cherished mansion lightly, as they all had enjoyed the symbolic home. It was difficult to not look back at the memories they made with a sorrowful, reminiscent eye.

Maya gently broke the cold silence. "...we should get going. The Black Bloods aren't the only problem that's out here."

"That's..that's right," Noa's voiced wavered as she lightly cleared her throat. "Milord Rem, once we set up camp, you may begin your watch"

"As you wish, Milady," the boy in blue quickly bowed as the six silently started away from the warehouse.

The soft thudding against the sealed doors finally ceased, giving a comforting peace through the twilight air. After a few minutes, a faint scratching could be heard against the bare stone walls. As the gentle clicking slowly approached a high-leveled window, a pair of blank eyes glared out the corner of the glass, a wicked grin crawling across a pale face. With a soft click, a panel of the long window slowly opened up.

 _(End of Part 7)_

* * *

 _A word from the Author:_

 _It's been great to keep writing this series on a (more) regular basis! The mention of the "bright cyan glow" was a reference to Saxs's own story, "The Chosen Keymasters". It's an excellent story that shows some of the origins to how the_ Heaven's Knights _first joined! We are far from the end to this chilling story, so stay on the edge of your seats!_


	8. Chapter 8

The sky quickly darkened above them, a multitude of small bright stars dotting the night sky.

The air was crisp, almost as though the smallest whisper could penetrate the eerie silence. Heather and Maya quietly collected a small pile of dry branches from the barren area around them, neatly placing them in front of Saxs. The blonde pyro tiredly watched the wood pile, flicking his hand to fuel the gently growing fire in front of him. The warm campfire emanated a soft glow to the area, helping the others set up a few tents Noa had been carrying in a small bag. They all kept a watchful eye around them, nervousness lightly gripping them except for Bael, who kept his emotions in check.

The fire gently crackled, dancing to the movement of Saxs's stressed fingers. Remnant sat a few yards off at the top of an aged stone hill, close to where a staircase once led to the Waterfront Park. He knew he didn't have to begin his watch yet, as his pursed lips faintly showed, yet the wary boy focused intently on a hill in the distance. The group had a long walk before they could reach the refuge in the distance, and a nagging feeling in his stomach warned him of an invisible threat just out of sight.

Remnant jumped as he felt something brush against his shoulder. He turned around in alarm to see Maya looking curiously into his eyes.

"What's wrong?" the brunette gently asked. Remnant quickly turned his head as a soft sigh escaped his lips.

"..it's nothing," he answered, his cheeks glowing a faint scarlet. Maya puffed her cheeks out as her eyebrows slightly sank. Remnant knew she was about to scold him for lying, but he was already tuning the young lady out as his eyes wandered toward a tall building.

* * *

" _I thought I'd find you up here."_

 _Remnant glanced away from the streets below over his shoulder to see a young woman in a pink robe with a long white skirt underneath a faded pink long-sleeved shirt. The edges of her sleeves and shirt had a gold hem, providing one of many small symbols indicating the woman's superiority._

" _M-Master Ava!" the boy hastily rose to his feet and bowed before the graceful figure before him. "I didn't expect you to come by here today. Is something wrong?"_

 _The woman gently shook her head, a warm smile spread across her lips. "I heard about your encounter with a party today."_

 _Remnant swallowed a lump in his throat. He knew his behavior towards the strange group wasn't proper for a wielder in his position. Wielders hand-picked by Ava to join her Dandelions was nothing new, but being in her elite group of fighters appointed to guard the clock tower was only granted to those who showed amazing potential- both as a Keyblade wielder and as a servant to the Foretellers. If word ever slipped out that one of the Tower guards was rude or harsh to other wielders, it would tarnish the Foretellers' reputation, and the wielder would be hastily stripped from his/her position._

" _You seemed to be rather interested in them," Ava slowly walked around him, sitting on the edge to his right. The boy's cheeks glowed a faint crimson hue, clashing with his white and faded pink uniform. Remnant cautiously sat beside the Union leader, lightly biting his lip out of habit. It was true that the small group had piqued his curiosity when they first entered the building. News hardly reached the ears of the Tower guards, so Remnant often had to rely on the whispers from any wielders that traversed inside._

 _Earlier that morning, a small group of wielders had arrived seeking counsel with Master Ava. Having already spotting them as they drew close to the Tower, Remnant had the duty of watching them from the shadows in case they decided to cause any trouble. As the group drew near, the boy felt something inside him burn. The sensation was neither painful nor sickening, but oddly familiar. Every second the boy watched over the newcomers, he felt a strong aura flowing from each of them. It didn't feel frightening or intimidating; rather, it felt welcoming. Almost as though he_ belonged _with the group._

 _The strange burgeoning inside Remnant made him become careless. As the strange visitors were starting to leave, one of the members- the young shadow master he would later know as Bael- caught a glimpse of him. The wielder almost instinctively called him out, giving him a sudden chill up his spine. As Remnant stepped out from behind a large gear, he could feel an aura flooding from the young man that seemed to dwarf the others. After a brief…altercation between Remnant and the group, the boy had quickly fled out of sight slightly flustered._

" _It felt like they had a strange power…" the boy spoke softly, staring out at the streets below. "Not like magic, but something stronger. I was curious…and I became careless."_

" _Hm…" Master Ava looked up at the mid-afternoon sky, deep in thought. "Were you envious of their power?"_

 _Remnant quickly tensed, his eyes widening. "W-what!? I-" the boy stopped, wincing faintly. He sighed as his head slowly drooped. "Okay…I was a little jealous."_

 _Master Ava giggled softly, making the boy's cheeks glow a little brighter. "_ Only _a little?" She looked over at the young guard, carefully studying him for a moment. "Is that the only thing you feel about them?"_

 _The boy looked up at the kind Master, uncertainty flashing in his eyes for a moment. Ava turned her head and looked down towards the fountain below, watching a few young wielders slowly walking around. "Their story doesn't seem too far-fetched. I'm planning on sending one of you to investigate it for me, since I need to stay here." A thin smile played across her lips as she glanced at the boy, watching his eyes slowly widen in realization._

 _With a gentle nod from her, the boy quickly stood up and bowed. "Thank you, Master Ava! I'll do my best to help them!"_

* * *

Remnant never believed that he would come so far since that day. He slowly opened his eyes and looked back to see a strong campfire in the middle of three completed tents. Maya had already sat down near the fire with Saxs and the others. He quickly rose to his feet as Noa drew near.

"Is everything set, Milady?" the boy in blue eagerly asked the leader, who nodded once.

"Yes, Milord Rem. Would you like anything to eat before you start your watch?" a bright smile stretched across the young lady's lips.

Remnant quickly shook his head. "I'll be alright. I'm not that hungry anyway…but thank you for the offer, Milady!"

"More for me then!" Saxs smiled as he wolfed a sandwich down. Noa gave a quick cold look at the pervy pyro that silently said _die_ , causing him to nearly choke on the last sandwich. The kind leader faced Remnant again, vainly hiding signs of stress behind her grin.

He offered a patient smile in return, sighing softly. "Milady can rest well tonight. I'll make sure nothing happens."

"Thank you, Milord Rem," Noa curtsied, her voice almost relieved. "Still, if you need any help, just wake up Milord Saxs. I'm sure he'd be glad to start his shift early!"

Saxs stared at Noa with disbelief in his tired eyes. "I would?!"

"Sure!" Heather quickly chimed in. "The night air makes a strong man, so if you stay out in it longer, you'll become stronger! Take Bael for example." She nodded towards the quiet veteran who was watching the fire. "He's so strong, it's scary!"

Bael gave the energetic blonde a cold glare, making her small frame tremble faintly. Saxs quickly looked at Remnant, his eyes burning brightly. "Hey Rem! Would you like for me to take your shift for ya?"

"No, you dingaling!" Noa stormed over to the fiery wielder, flipping him off onto his back. "We each get an equal shift through the night!"

"But..but…." Saxs weakly argued, looking up at the leader. A quiet sigh escaped his mouth as he hung his head. "Okay…" Remnant bit his lip, holding in a silent snicker.

"Tomorrow, we head for the refuge, Milords and ladies," the pink-haired woman spoke in a singsong tone. "So rest up! We'll be leaving at dawn!"

* * *

Soon, Remnant was the only one still awake. The campfire had nearly died out save for a few glowing embers. His body shivered slightly as a crisp breeze played under his coat for a moment. He glanced up at the sky for a moment, watching a few clouds slowly envelop the waxing crescent moon. The boy casually walked towards the edge of a hill, peeking around the corner a nearly torn down building. For a moment, he saw a slim shadow move behind an alley. He frowned and quickly materialized his blue Keyblade, cautiously descending the stone hill.

The wary boy silently stopped at the bottom of the hill, gently resting a hand on the dilapidated structure as he craned his neck. Only his breath broke the cold silence of the night as he listened. Finally, after a long moment, Remnant slowly released his breath and turned back towards the hill when he heard a faint clicking. The lone sound echoed from within the dark alleyway, slowly growing louder as if they were…

"Footsteps..?" Remnant quietly breathed. He nervously bit his lip as his grip tightened around the handle of his weapon. With a deep breath, he quickly jumped around the corner, tensing defensively as he stared into the darkness.

The soft clicking stopped as soon as he rounded the corner. For a brief moment, Remnant immediately thought the noise was only his imagination. The boy's frame suddenly grew stiff as his eyes widened. He could _feel_ someone watching him further inside the alley, silently judging the figure facing it. Remnant swallowed a lump in his throat and slowly took a step forward.

Almost immediately, he heard a quick clicking as he felt the figure in the alley rushing towards him. Before his mind could process what was going on, his Keyblade quickly pierced through the darkness, striking something metallic. Remnant winced as he felt the impact on his weapon reach his shoulders. He couldn't see what he was fighting, but the boy's heart quickened as the familiar smell of blood filled his nostrils.

"K-kch..!" Remnant grimaced as he forced down his nausea, feeling himself slowly getting pushed back by his attacker. The blue-clad figure quickly jumped back and shot a ball of fire from his Keyblade. The figure nimbly sidestepped the bright orb, briefly illuminated by the flame's light. It wasn't much, but it was all Remnant needed to see. His eyes widened as his jaw dropped, breathing shakily.

"You!?"


	9. Chapter 9

"You!?" Remnant screamed in surprise as he dodged his opponent's lunge. "But you're d- Hrnk!" The cloaked boy fell to his knees as the familiar creature swung at his legs. His eyes strained to look up as his Keyblade swung above him, barely blocking the strike of a similar weapon. The Keyblade he saw striking his was almost exactly as he remembered it, except it looked… _darker_ , almost as though a corrupt force flowed through it.

The figure above him smirked playfully as if to taunt him. "Death is only a stage in life, Remnant. You'll soon see that this is only the beginning to a _new_ life! One where you needn't worry about the fears of life, where _you_ are the one people fear!"

The blue-cloaked boy winced and lowered his head as he left a continuous onslaught of metal ferociously striking metal. "Please..I don't want to fight you!" His voice strained as pain shot through to his shoulders upon each impact. Remnant's usually sturdy arms were quivering like brittle leaves in a windstorm.

"A pity…" the figure above him spoke, its voice hinting slight sympathy. "I don't wish to fight you either..but I will!" His opponent suddenly jumped back, causing the boy to lurch forward. Remnant looked up in time to see the figure quickly dash at him- faster than any human could reach!

With a grunt, the boy rolled away, avoiding the familiar foe crashing into the wall behind him. It wasn't long before the creature recovered, launching itself at him as Remnant jumped back to his shaky feet.

 _Sh-_ It _is_ _cutting me off from getting to the others!_ Remnant grimaced, sending a few small icicles at the beast only to watch them blocked by its gloved hand. The boy's eyes darted around, resting on a stack of crates from an abandoned merchant stall. He wasted no time dashing for the crates, pointing his Keyblade upward. "Thunder!"

The creature nimbly dodged the strings of lightning crashing around it, quickly catching up to Remnant. He felt a violent tug on his ankle as he leaped for the crates, crashing to the barren stone street with a _thud_. Remnant wearily rolled over to see the creature hunching over him, roughly anchoring his knees with its thin leg. He shivered faintly as the stench of blood bombarded his nostrils, coughing lightly as the boy glared up into its face.

Some of the clouds began to part, brightening the night sky as it shone behind the creature's head. Remnant turned his head and strained to look at his assailant's face. He swallowed a lump in his throat as a sly grin stretched across the figure's face. "Oh, don't worry~" the creature spoke in a singsong tone. "I'll give you the pleasure of seeing a familiar face before you become one of us." The figure bowed its head out of view for a moment before slowly lifting back up, revealing a young woman's face smiling sweetly at the boy in blue. Remnant eyes stared in silent horror as his mouth moved inaudibly.

"Aw…what's the matter?" she teased, giggling delicately. "I thought you'd be glad to see me one last time!"

* * *

 _He remembered seeing her for the first time, huddling by the fire with a haunted sorrow in her eyes. She looked so small, as if the weight of the world was pushing her down. He shouldn't have, because he was a stranger to her, but he sat down next to her and held her. The frail girl trembled but didn't pull away, and they both stared at the dancing flames for long hours. Her first soft words to him were "Thank you."_

 _When he sparred her for the first time, he could barely keep up with her speed, the anger in her jade eyes overpowering him with each strike, her Keyblade lashing out at his weaknesses. Betwixt and Between, he later on learned, had saved her life one night, though the emptiness in her gaze prevented him from prying. The two angel-like wings, one black and one white, soared gracefully, matching her every movement, light and shadows dancing along the edges of the metallic feathers. What had caused such agony in her eyes?_

 _Her burned cheek sent a red rage through his veins when he found her collapsed in the bathroom one day. Neutrally shaded makeup smeared across her hands, her face, and the washcloth wrung in her shaking hands. She tried to hide her wobbly lip and puffy eyes, but there was no disguising the scar that marred her otherwise pretty face. "Someone died to save me," she whispered, her chest quivering with a struggle to breathe._

 _He supposed he didn't really think it through when he confessed his fondness of her by the fountain under the familiar starlight months after their first meeting. He should've realized that, despite her tolerance of his protective friendship, there would be a distant hollowness in her eyes from the memory of her beloved's demise._

 _The suffering in her gaze tortured him day and night, leaving him restless whenever she was gone and watchful whenever she came near. Her posture gradually became taller and stronger, but he knew she cried herself to sleep every night. His chest tightened from the mere thought of it, as if he was sharing her pain._

 _Which was why, from the moment she opened her heart and kissed him, he knew he would always love and protect Tenshi._

* * *

Tears slowly filled the boy's eyes as he gazed at his sweetheart's face. His breath labored as he turned his head away. He couldn't bear to look at Tenshi's hollow eyes for another moment, reminiscent of all the painful memories they brought up inside of him. Her small frame overpowering his, she gently caressed his cheek with a gloved hand, wiping a tear away as she lowered her head to Remnant's.

"Shh…" Tenshi softly whispered by his ear, her cold lips brushing lightly against his cheek. "Don't cry, Milord...this is a wonderful moment~"

Remnant slowly opened his eyes and looked up at the young lady above him, breathing shakily as his face softly glowed pink. His eyes widened as he felt her lips softly mold into his. The boy shut his red-rimmed eyes tightly, quietly sobbing. After a moment, he slowly relaxed, leaning his head back against the cold stone street beneath him. The world around him faded into oblivion as he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close, and eased into her kiss. What was he thinking, believing that she was gone? She was right here in his arms! They were back together again, smiling and laughing as the sun burned gloriously in the sky, the ocean lapping at their feet. He whispered "I love you" as he lifted her hand to his lips, kissing his fiancée's diamond and jade ring.

A sudden pain in his stomach jarred him from his fantasy, making him lurch forward and gasp sharply as he looked down. Tenshi's black coat had torn just beneath her ribcage, revealing a sinister set of sharp teeth digging into his abdomen. A thin red line began to form along the edges of the monstrous mouth, filling the air with the aroma of fresh blood. Remnant wearily blinked a few times as he looked back up at Tenshi, her jade eyes glowing faintly as they met his. She slowly pulled away, smiling tenderly.

"Don't worry...it won't hurt too much longer," she whispered, carefully brushing some of Remnant's hair away from his eyes. "You won't have to worry about the pain anymore. You can be with me again, just like before." He shuddered as she slid her fingers between his, cold and stiff, but still interlocked with his. "Isn't that what you wanted? For us to be happy together?"

Remnant coughed lightly as Tenshi quickly became a shadowy blur, melting in with the rest of the world around him. The throbbing in his abdomen faded as the darkness crept in at the corners of his vision. With a soft exhale, the boy drifted into unconsciousness, Tenshi's name never leaving his lips until his body went still.

* * *

A bitter breeze awoke the slumbering Saxs. The pyro quickly sat up, warily poking his head outside the tent. A few clouds were parting away from the luminescent moon in the night sky. He grunted softly and tucked his head inside before looking back outside, wide awake. The campfire looked like it had died out at least a few hours ago. A few charred leaves swiftly flew past the camp, making the blonde shiver slightly. It was quiet, but more importantly, _Remnant was nowhere to be found_.

Saxs slowly crept out of the tent, carefully standing up as he scanned the surrounding skeletal structures. "Rem..?" He whispered, tiptoeing past the tents towards an upward-sloping hill. "Ya there, Remmy?"

The young pyro's heart quickly sped up as he slowly turned around and checked the other abandoned streets, meeting the same result. He slowly took a deep breath and walked back towards the tents. "He probably just saw something…" The man paused as he reached his tent, looking over his shoulder. "Hm...just in case…"

The blonde quietly walked over to the shattered ruins of the water fountain in the middle of their tents. He nimbly jumped on top of the dry marble structure, cautiously looking around. "I'm sure Rem wouldn't be upset if I started my shift early!"

Time slowly passed as the pervy pyro waited for Remnant to return. Tired and partially bored, Saxs lazily looked at the burned logs around the campfire. He flicked a few small fireballs at the blackened embers only to watch the wood disintegrate. Another breeze gently blew the ashes into the air. With an impatient sigh, Saxs hopped off the fountain. "He's been gone for way too long…"

He slipped back into his tent and nuzzled his partner's cheek. "Noa, wake up. We've got trouble."

She jumped awake, groaning. "What is it now, Saxs? I'm not going to look for your childhood monsters again."

He huffed, his long hair floating with the small breath. "I'm serious, Bubblegum. Rem's gone."

Her violet eyes snapped awake, staring him down with a leader's intensity. "Gone?"

"I can't find him anywhere. You don't think he'd ditch his post, do you?"

"Of course not!" She whipped the blanket off and pulled on her shirt. He finally focused his gaze in one place as she hastily yanked her hair into a messy ponytail. "Move! Go wake up the others!"

"Hold on a sec!" She groaned with impatience and glared at him. As she opened her mouth to snap, he leaned forward and cupped her cheeks with his hands, pressing his lips to her forehead. He felt her stress lessen under his touch. She let out a breath as he pulled away. "Take care of yourself, okay? Ask me for help or tell me to take over if you need a break. Promise me that."

He held her tired gaze until she sighed. "Fine. I promise. Go wake the others up, please."

He nodded and exited their tent, a cold chill creeping down his spine as he briskly headed towards the other tents. Saxs's sturdy figure halted as his blue eyes slowly scanned the camp. Shaking his head, he raised a hand to his mouth and called out "Everybody up!" A sly grin played across his mouth as muffled moans emanated from the brown nylon tents. One by one, the sluggish figures crawled out. Bael was the first of the four to approach the pyro with an icy expression that could slaughter a Behemoth with a mere glance.

"This better be good, Saxs…" the dark veteran quietly growled.

"Yeah.." Heather slowly slumped beside Bael. "I was having a nice dream for once.."

"It is," Noa spoke firmly as she walked up beside her pervy partner. "Milord Remnant has abandoned his post and has yet to return."

"Remnant's gone!?" Maya's teal eyes quickly shot open as her petite frame shivered from a haunted breeze. "Did something happen to him?"

Noa's hair lightly bounced as she gently met the water maiden's gaze. "All we know is that Milord Rem isn't here. We can't assume something happened to him if he had to leave his watch."

"Yeah!" Saxs's face beamed as he lightly chuckled. "Rem's a tough guy. He probably just saw a few Heartless and ran to shoo them off!"

"Why wouldn't he use his Semblance then?" Bael crossed his arms. "He could've easily flung them away."

"Not if they were an aerial enemy like a Possessor," Noa's eyebrows knit together in silent thought. "They could've easily flown back and attacked. Just as Milady Heather couldn't use her Semblance of electricity to fight a Gargoyle Knight, since they're made out of stone."

"Besides," the dark lord interrupted, "if there was a fight, wouldn't we have heard it? Remnant would've at least made some kind of noise if a fight took this long."

Before they could respond to his point, the dark wielder suddenly drew his Keyblade, shifting into a defensive stance with a lone fluid movement like liquid shadow. The others quickly materialized their Keyblades as they strained their ears to catch the intruder through the wind's whispers. Bael's eyes quickly darted around the demolished buildings as his chest began to rapidly pound. The sky suddenly grew darker as an ominous veil crept across the moon's silver sliver.

"M-Milord Bael...this isn't your doing," the energetic blonde whispered shakily, "..is it?"

The former leader quickly shook his head as his lips twisted into a grim grimace. "No..this isn't me, but something _is_ causing this."

"But what could-"

"HEATHER!"

The energetic electric enchantress whirled around, her frame tensing like a frail leaf as something charged at her. A sharp _clang_ rang through the air as her eyelids slowly parted to witness Noa's Keyblade shove back a dark entity. Her stomach nearly heaved as a stench settled over them like a caress. The person's black cloak was stained red at its abdomen. She nearly shrieked with terror at the sight of sharp fangs mauling at the air.

"It-It's a Black Blood!" she shrieked as she tumbled back, bile rising up to her throat.

The humanoid monstrosity pulled its right hand under its left arm for a moment before charging at the radiant leader again. Noa swiftly slashed at the creature, her violet eyes widening as her Keyblade was parried by feathery onyx and ivory wings. She looked up, sheer horror plastered on her youthful face as the leader saw a sly grin under the figure's hood. "Milady..Tenshi!?" she barely breathed as her once valiant frame staggered back.

"Noa, get a hold of yourself!" Saxs quickly shot a few fireballs at the cloaked creature, rushing to stand between the ferocious fiend and Noa. The Black Blood swiftly deflected them with its Keyblade, making each of the bright fireballs increase in size as they raced back. "Welp, that went well…" he laughed weakly as he jumped away. Bael nimbly dodged between the oversized orbs and slashed at the terrifying threat as Maya rushed beside Noa, crossing her arms together to form a thick wall of water in front of them.

"Milady Maya! You have to stop Saxs and Bael!" Noa yelled. "That's Milady Tenshi!"

The brunette stared at the leader in surprise. "I thought she was-"

"I don't know!" Her elegant hair wildly swayed as the leader shook her head. "They must've turned her into one of _them_.." Maya's frame trembled as she watched the pervy pyro rush to the venerable veteran's aide as the two men struggled to keep up with the fiend's furious attacks.

Simultaneously, Heather slowly crawled backward until her back tightly pressed against the ruins of the old water fountain. She slowly stood up and watched as Bael and Saxs struggled to hold off the Black Blood. _Tenshi…? Is it really you? Have you really fallen prey, too?_ Her breath labored as the blonde pointed her Keyblade forward, her hands shaking. A brilliant yellow emblem glowed under the shirt on her back as electricity began to crackle around her.

" _Surpriiise_ ~"

Heather froze as her heart stopped. The yellow emblem quickly faded as she slowly turned around. The young blonde opened her mouth to let out an ear-shattering shriek.

* * *

A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:

 _So, up to this point, the plot for the_ Mutilated Melancholy _has been based off of a dream I had about the_ Heaven's Knights. _As of now, the future chapters will be entirely based on the whim of what we decide! And by "we" I of course mean my marvelous Beta Reader,_ MistressOfBetween _! For this chapter, I asked her to do something different with me- she and I worked together to write and edit side by side at (mostly) the same time! It was an experience like no other I've had the pleasure of enjoying! I was able to see her write firsthand and how passionate she can be about her works of art. Scenes like the flashback were entirely written by her. She also had plenty of fun writing almost all of the scene where Tenshi finishes Remnant off! It's definitely been an amazing learning experience working with her like this! Make sure to show her some love on her own story (or stor_ ies _, should she continue putting her pen to the test)! I hope you've enjoyed_ Mutilated Melancholy _, cause the best has yet to come!_

 _By the way, make sure to congratulate_ MistressOfBetween _on her promotion from Editor to Assistant/Co-Author!_

A WORD FROM THE ASSISTANT AUTHOR:

 _Hey, y'all! It's the one and only_ MistressOfBetween _! As the author has already stated, we'd decided to collaborate together to see how well our styles blend, so we hope that you enjoy it! It was really fun to work alongside an innovative and clever writer who was always open to new ideas (and grammar checks). I hope we can continue this experimentive writing style in the near future! Stay on your seats, ladies and gentlemen, because we've got plenty more to offer~!_


	10. Chapter 10

Saxs, Noa, Maya, and Bael quickly shifted their gaze towards the fountain to see Heather's delicate frame loosely dangling in the air. Dark, bony fingers tightly gripped the blonde's neck, holding her out like a trophy as she weakly struggled against the brute's vice-like grip. Every time a small crackle of electricity emanated from Heather, it immediately danced into the new Black Blood's arm before dissipating into its rough skin, draining the electric empress of any energy with each outburst.

"HEATHER!" Saxs sent a large fireball towards the creature on the fountain. A wicked grin twisting across its face, the second Black Blood lowered Heather into the path of the fiery orb.

"No!" Maya quickly raised a blockade of water, evaporating the pyro's assailment. "You'll hit her!"

A deep, raspy chuckle escaped Heather's captor's mouth as he raised the helpless girl above him, opening the massive maw under its ribcage, pausing when a low growl rose from the Tenshi's impatient, mutilated figure near the edge of a stairway. Its yellow eyes glowed dimly as it gazed into Tenshi's narrowed, black visage. With a low huff, it lowered the nearly-unconscious body of Heather as the creature quickly nipped her shoulder. A sharp cry escaped Heather's lips as she collapsed to the ground in front of the fountain, her body trembling.

The leader of the _Knights_ clenched her teeth as she slowly rose to her feet, pushing Maya aside. With a loud screech piercing the air, she lunged forward towards the fountain, Keyblade in hand. The Black Blood jumped back, a thin smirk playing across its lips as Noa tore through the stone landmark beside Heather's limp body.

Before the other three wielders could remark their leader's sudden rage, Tenshi leapt out of the shadows in a dark blur and knocked Saxs towards the unprepared master of darkness. The two crashed against the corner of the abandoned Moogle shop, several crumbling bricks burying Saxs and Bael. Maya quickly materialized her Three Wishes Keyblade as she stared down her former teammate, blocking the Black Blood from Heather.

The Black Blood crouched slowly before swiftly lunging towards the maiden, the black and white Keyblade blazing with wild, corrupted fire that vied hungrily for Maya's life. Maya shot up a wall of water and jumped away from the fiery onslaught, a river curling around her like a viper, Maya's gaze churning like a hurricane. She paused as Tenshi skidded to a stop before the water, swinging her arm across her body. Quickly, without a moment's hesitation, the wall curled and engulfed Tenshi in its embrace. Maya tightly clenched her hands together and watched as her former friend thrashed and inhaled nothing but water.

Her aquatic serpent lashed out behind her, the sudden movement a warning hiss in her ear. The water maiden quickly turned around, only to dart away as the other Black Blood swiped at her with bloody fingers. With Noa's attention focused on her close friend's limp corpse, Maya was the only one left keeping the corrupted creatures at bay. A small grimace stretched across her lips as her eyes warily darted between the two Black Bloods gradually circling her. Despite her wet condition, Tenshi's fire danced between her fingers and played in her hair, lighting her moonlit face with a warm, haunted luster; her companion, on the other hand, dwelled in the shadows, as if the light shuddered away from him.

With a hiss, Tenshi lunged towards Maya, who shoved her away with a wall of water but didn't see the cruel smile on the Black Blood's red lips. She nearly screamed in terror as cold hands snatched her arm and yanked her away from the _Knights_. Her water viper jabbed at the mysterious figure's face, hissing and biting until it latched onto the Black Blood's neck. He screeched as boiling hot water pumped underneath his skin. Maya shoved her elbow into his nose over and over until he released her. She dashed to Noa, the bruising skin on her arm prickling from the cold hand trapping her. "Noa! Saxs! Help me―"

She yelped as she crashed onto the cracked street, blood dripping onto the dusty stones. Her vision swayed as she groaned, pressing her hand to her temple. A rough hand tugged her onto her back, fingertips tracing her neck like a lover. "Relax," a voice whispered, stuttering her heart. _No… it can't be!_ "It won't hurt if you stay still."

"No!" She thrashed under the Black Blood's body, whimpering in terror as she felt fangs tear through her clothes. Water formed in her hands, orbs churning bigger and bigger to defend their maiden, but he pinned her wrists in a tight, deathly cold grip, squeezing until she lost all feeling in her hands. A tear slipped out of her eye as she felt the water fall onto her palms.

"Just close your eyes," he whispered, nipping her cheek. "Don't fear the cold grip of death; let it embrace you." She shivered as hot blood dripped onto her bare stomach; she nearly cried out as fangs brushed against her skin, testing the tenderness of her figure. "Shhh… You're safe now, Maya. Smile, you're about to be freed from your misery."

She felt lips brush her cheek before the weight of the Black Blood was suddenly… not on her anymore. She cracked a teary eye open, her heart galloping in her chest as she looked around. She jerked away from the sound of angry snarling, allowing water to embrace her trembling body, comforting her with its gentle touch. She jumped to her feet and raced to the others.

"Maya!" Noa ran to her and hugged her forcefully, the leader shaking. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm okay," she cried. "They didn't get me." She heard Bael's sigh of relief and let him pull her into his embrace. "They… They got him…"

Saxs rested a hand on her shoulder, his eyebrows knit into a frown. "Got who?"

The echoing sound of clicks and hisses halted Maya's answer. They collectively turned towards the noise, surrounding the still-unconscious Heather. Maya watched her leader, who stood her ground with heavy shoulders and weary eyes, calmly hold up her Keyblade. Saxs took his place beside her and covered his hands with a bright flame, his posture tall and hard. Bael spun his scythe into a defensive position beside Heather, his back to them as he studied the area behind them. _They're so tired, yet they can still face the Black Bloods…_ Steadying her breath, she summoned her Keyblade, rolling her shoulders. _I can do this. I won't let fear chase me away!_

"How dare you?" a soft voice hissed. Saxs's fire burned brighter, dimly revealing Tenshi's glowing eyes. She bared her fangs, glaring straight at Maya. "How dare you try to take my fiancé away?"

"Fiancé?" Noa exclaimed, her eyes wide.

The Black Blood stepped back behind a figure, hissing. " _He's mine._ "

Saxs slowly crept closer, his fire burning hotter, illuminating the darkness until Maya's heart froze in horror.

Tenshi stood behind the other Black Blood with her arms wrapped around his torso, her eyes bright with a protective fury. Still watching them like a territorial predator, she nuzzled her companion's throat, a soft growl threatening the _Knights_. Her partner had his eyes closed, his head turned to press his cheek against her forehead. His hands slid up her arms to interlock his fingers with hers, the movement so human it irked Maya.

"R… Remnant…?"

His eyes slowly opened, as blue as the ocean she'd once gazed at from atop her home's cliffs. And yet… something was different from the familiar gaze. Her eyes were met with a cold, lifeless gaze. For a brief moment, their stares locked before the figure lowered his head, closing his eyes. With a sudden, inhuman jerk of his neck, a wild grin played across his dry lips. Barely lifting his head, a yellow eye pierced through the shadows tainting his face.

* * *

 _A WORD FROM THE AUTHOR:_

 _Our apologies for not posting in a long while. Our schedules have been rather tricky to work around lately. From college/high school to work or finding work, it's been a headache trying to find time to work on this chapter. It may be about as long before we can post another chapter, but we still plan on continuing_ Mutilated Melancholy _! As always, it's been a pleasure working with MistressOfBetween, and we're looking forward to seeing you in the next chapter!_


	11. Chapter 11

_Silence. At first, Remnant thought he was asleep, but the thick, crisp air enveloping him kept him from fully drifting off. After what felt like hours, dull voices echoed far away. Hadn't he been here before…? Slightly tensing, the boy in blue slowly opened his eyes only to be met by an endless abyss of emptiness. Remnant slowly looked around and immediately noticed the lack of gravity. His eyebrows knit together as he slowly waved his arms around, adjusting to the new environment._

" _Took you long enough."_

 _Remnant's heart froze in fear at the cold voice. He quickly twisted his body around until he faced a figure about as tall as him. The figure bemusedly watched a small screen of light before them. The screen's soft glow basked his body, casting a shadow onto Remnant. Even though he could only see a thin silhouette of the person, he knew well the familiar foe facing away._

" _Your friend pulled off a feat not even I could've imagined."_

 _With a brief glance at Remnant, the figure moved aside to reveal what he was observing. Remnant's body slowly moved forward to clearly see Maya, Saxs, Noa, and Bael staring at them, alarm clearly present in their battle-fatigued eyes. His own eyes widened as he spotted Heather's unconscious body slumped on the ground, her shoulder marked with a vicious bite wound. Remnant looked over towards his opponent, his once-fierce eyes yielding an expression of apathy and boredom, as he moved closer to the screen._

" _Did..?"_

" _No," he quickly cut Remnant off. His knuckles popped as he clenched his fists. "And don't even think of pinning this on me. I only became aware of this shortly after you lost control."_

 _His chest pounded as his mind processed the boy in black's words._ The last thing I remember was…

 _Remnant's eyes widened in realization. "Where's Tenshi?!"_

" _Tenshi," Fragment huffed, flexing his fingers, "or rather what's left of her, is right beside us out there. She's not in control of her actions as much as we are, though."_

 _Remnant turned back towards the screen, crossing his arms. "So what caused all of this then?"_

 _He watched quietly as Fragment tensed, focusing intensely on the screen. The four wielders on the screen suddenly vanished into a shadowy pool beneath them. In what appeared to be a quick leap, they soon stood where their prey once had. The ground glowed softly by the slowly revealed moonlight. Remnant watched a pale hand gently graze the surface, testing the texture as if it were a fragile masterpiece._

"Bael…" _Fragment mouthed as his voice gruffly echoed from the screen. They heard a faint snort nearby, followed by faint footsteps dancing across the stones towards them. As the screen slowly ascended, Tenshi's decaying face came into view. Remnant winced as his eyes met with his beloved's once youthful appearance. A faint tremor shook his bones as he tore his eyes away._

"Shouldn't we go after them..?" _Remnant breathed, only to hear his voice echo in the screen._

Astonishment and confusion flashed across his pale partner's face as her eyebrow raised. "Oh~?"

 _At first, he thought Tenshi was about to catch on to their control over Remnant's body. He slowly looked over and met Fragment's annoyed expression. His amber eyes coldly pierced into his, as if to say "Say one more word, and we're_ both _finished."_

"Why should we waste our energy looking for them?" Tenshi smiled sweetly, gently lifting their chin up. "You _did_ give the girl the bite, right?"

 _His body flinched at her words, a sharp pain penetrating his belly. Remnant's eyes widened as he quickly looked down to see...nothing. The air seemingly grew colder as he briefly saw the teeth tearing into his flesh again._

 _Fragment nodded as they heard his altered voice from the screen again._ "Yes."

"Then we have nothing to worry about," _Tenshi's cold lips brushed his cheek before the young woman took a step back._ "It's only a matter of time before the girl awakens, and then we'll have more back on our side again."

 _Remnant watched as Tenshi slowly walked towards one of the scrapped staircases. She stopped at the edge and glanced back at them._ "Come on. We've got a lot to do while…"

 _Remnant blinked in surprise as the screen slowly faded away. He looked over at Fragment to see the boy clenching his head for a moment. "What is it..?"_

" _K-kch…." His darker look alike winced for a moment before relaxing. "We lost control again."_

" _Who else is controlling my body?" Remnant frowned._

 _Fragment let out a sigh as he leaned back, crossing his arms. "Not 'who'-_ what _. When we last lost control, Tenshi injected something into our blood."_

Our blood… _Remnant frowned for a moment before tensing. "That black stuff..!"_

" _Yep. That black stuff you saw in Frosty's blood is the same thing in us now." Fragment opened his eyes and looked up. "It's a slower process in taking control of us because of me. However, I can't predict when it tries to control us. Nor can I do anything to stop it until I have enough energy to wake us up again."_

" _What about me? Can't I wake us up?"_

" _You?" He looked back at Remnant and snorted. "You just regained consciousness in_ here. _What makes you think you'll have the energy to take control without falling asleep again?"_

 _Remnant's lips twisted into a grimace. His heavy body told him that he still hadn't regained his full strength, but he couldn't just sit and wait to become healthy again. "How do I know that won't be too late? Every second we're not in control, whatever that stuff is inside us has that much longer to-"_

" _What do you mean_ 'we' _?" Fragment quickly whirled around in a tense defensive posture. "In case you've forgotten, we aren't exactly friends here."_

" _No," he agreed, nodding, "but we are fighting on the same side here. You admitted it yourself."_

 _After clashing with his eyes for a long moment, the boy in black finally smirked. "Alright...you win. Neither of us are going to survive if we waste our energy arguing, anyway. But I have some...conditions on our alliance."_

 _Remnant's chest pounded from his quickened heartbeat. He made a deal with this boy once, and the results were almost deadly- for him and the_ Knights.

* * *

Noa's body trembled as they appeared near the refuge. She sighed softly as the overbearing pressure from the dark corridor slowly loosened on her heart. She held Heather's unconscious frame close to hers as she rose beside Bael. Through his manipulation of the darkness, they were able to narrowly escape a futile confrontation with two of their own fellow Knights. The mistress of light carefully surveyed her teammates that were either nearly losing or regaining consciousness. Bael quietly watched Heather, deep in thought.

A few Keyblade wielders near the entrance to the refuge spotted them and quickly rushed over to them. "Are you okay?" one asked, her silver star-shaped necklace glistening in the moonlight. She wore a red bandana over her long silver hair. Her teal eyes darted between the five, resting finally on Heather's bite wound. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looked at her partner wearing a blue fish mask. "Go get help! These five need immediate medical attention."

"R-right, kupo!" the young wielder quickly dashed back into the refuge.

The first Keyblade wielder carefully pried the volt valkyrie's body from Noa's hands, a reassuring smile stretching across her face. "Don't worry, we'll help her as much as we can!"

Saxs and Maya had regained their composure by now. The former weakly rested a hand on his partner's shoulder, gently pulling the strawberry blonde closer to him. "She'll be fine, honey."

A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, gently resting her head against the pervy pyro's. "That's not all I'm worried about…"

* * *

" _Help me!" she cried out, banging against the screen that illuminated her pale features. "I'm here! I'm here! Can't you hear me?!"_

 _But it was no use. Her strength waned long ago and now the_ thing _had full control over her body. She could do nothing but watch her body run around and attack her friends like an infested puppet, haunting hisses and laughter echoing throughout the darkness of her mind like a nightmare._

" _Please! Let me out!" she cried out once more, her throat raw and hoarse. Her hair clung to her sticky face and her fists tingled from pummeling the screen with a desperation that she hadn't felt in years._ Please… not him too. I can't lose him too!

 _When the Black Blood caught a familiar scent and lunged after its next prey, she screamed. "Go back! Remnant, go back! REMNANT!"_

 _But her voice was too small compared to the slithering evil caging her. She watched helplessly as her lover ventured away from the camp, unknowingly falling into its trap; it hissed and clicked its claws against the concrete, luring him closer and closer to his death._ No… No, no no, no! NO! _Her heart erupting in flames, she thrashed against her captor, her fire brighter than shooting stars against oblivion. In the corner of her vision, she watched her body twitching and cringing in awkward angles, small hisses of irritation whispering in her head. She fought harder, ran faster, yelled louder, her body quaking with the force of her fury as she retaliated with the light of a hundred suns._

 _A shadow among a shadow, nearly indiscernible even with her fire blazing, lashed out and struck her back, a searing pain crawling up her spine. She roared and whirled around, her Betwixt and Between materializing with a brilliant flash. Her Keyblade snapped in two as she whirled them around her wrists, one feather in each grip. Spinning on one foot, she threw the halves in a tight circle like frisbees, hearing distant screeches grate the air as light flared out of them. Using the same foot to shoot up into an arcing leap, tendrils of embers danced between her fingers until they bursted into a wildfire, the Eternal Flames gyrating with a dangerous speed, stopping instantly right before she reached out to grab them. She fell into a flurry of dancing flames and light, balls of light shooting out with a trail of fire scorching the darkness. When Betwixt and Between finally came whirling back to her, she tossed the chakrams into the air, snapping her Keyblade back together as the Bond of Flame formed and fell into her free hand._

"Tenshi… Tenshi… _" She ignored her former lover's plea as she raged against the Black Blood, Remnant's name ringing in her head. She ignored the tears in her eyes as fire and light became shooting stars, a rallying cry to her broken soul._

 _Her spine protested and screamed as she flipped away from a strike and fell into a crouch, the screen right behind her. It casted a long shadow that bled into the nothingness where the Black Blood hissed and crackled and laughed._

" _Tenshi…"_

 _She jumped to her feet and spun around, her Keyblades poised for another attack._

" _Tenshi…" Remnant's dying face filled the screen. His gaze shone with love and agony._

" _No," she whispered, her eyes wide with horror._

" _Tenshi…"_

 _Her Keyblades clattered to the ground without a sound._

" _Tenshi…"_

 _Another face conjured in the back of her mind._

" _Tenshi," both voices whispered. "Tenshi… Tenshi… Tenshi…"_

 _She fell to her knees and stared until her spine could no longer support her. She leaned forward until her forehead dropped onto the ground, crouched in a fetal position as her lovers' voices―one dead, another dying―echoed her name over and over until her screams pierced the air._

 _Tenshi fought no longer as the darkness embraced her once more, and her light went out._


	12. Chapter 12

_By the end of this chapter, some of the characters in this story may no longer make an appearance in_ Mutilated Melancholy _. This is primarily due to some private matters that occurred within the actual group of the_ Heaven's Knights _; some removals are because of the people in real life no longer wishing to take part in the story, so we've respectfully removed them to fulfill their request. Rest assured, there should be little to no change in the plot to_ Mutilated Melancholy _. There shall simply be a change in a few faces. If the characters removed change their mind, we will be happy to reinsert them back into the story as soon as we can!_

 _With that out of the way, we shall now proceed with Chapter Twelve of_ Mutilated Melancholy.

* * *

The sun gradually peeked over the horizon as the quiet melody of mourning doves filled the air. The sky slowly blended from a faint purple into a blazing orange as the sun crept over the barren, dry hills. A few weeks ago, Daybreak Town would start to have young Keyblade wielders waking up to another day of collecting Lux for their unions. Now, the streets rested empty with scarcely as much as a Shadow scouring the wasteland for easy prey. Even most of the Black Bloods were still resting from their nightly hunt.

High atop the clock tower, two figures lay close to each other, hidden behind the stone pillars jutting out along the clock tower's east wing. The sun's warm light slowly poked in between the columns, caressing Remnant's grey eyelids. His decrepit face tensed as his yellow eyes silently glared at the sunrise before shutting tightly.

"K-kch…" The creature slowly hunched over for a moment, pain arching through its muscles before finally relaxing. With a quiet sigh of relief, Remnant reopened his eyes, his blue irises carefully surveying the familiar environment. As he slowly rose to his feet, the boy immediately noticed a change in composure―instead of standing straight, he slightly hunched over. After a few vain attempts of stretching the abnormality out of his posture, he leaned against a pillar and set his gaze upon the silent town below them.

 _This isn't gonna be easy, trying to play along_ and _regain my strength_ , the boy quietly mused.

"That's why I'll be the one in control for now," his altered voice muttered as his irises faded to yellow. "Just stick to the plan and _shut up_."

A faint groan behind them caused the boy to spin on the balls of his feet. Tenshi slowly stretched, a warm smile greeting them. "Morning already?"

His once beloved's skin held a more beige-grey luster to its composure. The boy concealed a faint wince as his bewildered eyes held hers. Their ocular connection lingered for what felt like an hour before the call of a bird snapped Tenshi out of her trance of open, haunting adoration.

 _Looks like she still has her emotions, at least,_ Remnant silently noted as the dilapidated Mistress of Between grunted, slowly stretching before standing up. He tried to offer his thoughts to Fragment. _We might still have a chance to save her._ His face twisted out of jealousy as Tenshi gracefully strode to his side, her posture strong and tall. Her cold lips brushed his cheek, shooting a sharp icicle down his spine. _Where is her fire?_ he suddenly wondered with dread. Were they already too late?

"Having trouble standing up straight?" her voice cooed, an icy air piercing his ears.

" _Very_ funny," he grunted.

Her gaunt arm wrapped around his, Tenshi started guiding him towards a door near the side of a wall. "You know… you seem to be a lot more talkative when you have that look in your eye."

His breath now crisp, Remnant's body slightly tensed as he cautiously ambled beside the young woman. An almost silent whimper escaping his lips, the boy let out a quick snort. "You… usually bring out the best in me."

"Let's hope you maintain that personality longer than the others, then," she quietly huffed as they entered the ancient building. "It usually fades completely within a week if the host constantly fights the strand. A dull mind bores so quickly."

 _Remnant quietly glanced at his observant counterpart, the latter's eyes narrowing faintly at Tenshi's words. He was certain a similar question echoed through his "mind" concerning what was happening with the Black Bloods. Fragment's eyes briefly met his before returning their attention to their slow progression through the clock tower. Anxiety and doubt starting to scratch at the door, they knew they couldn't afford to execute their plan blindly. Tenshi might be a cold-blooded killer, but she still had sharp wits, careful eyes, and territorial fondness._

* * *

As the returning Knights approached the rest of their broken party, Noa's eyes caught a glimpse of a slightly strained smile stretching across Maya's lips whenever anyone looked her way. Life may have been rough for some of the Keyblade wielders that lacked a roof over their heads when Daybreak Town was in its prime, but there were no words to describe the pain their eyes silently hid. Noa closed her eyes as memories of when the Knights first found Tenshi flooded her mind.

With a faint grimace and a quick shake of her head, Noa forced the memories back into the depths of her mind as they reached the top of a small, grassy hill. Numerous small tents littered the lush pasture with its orange and red waterproof cloth. A small campfire was built near the general central of their designated campsite, crowned with a pot of herbs that she and a few of the others had started cooking before they departed. Noa smiled as the soothing aroma embraced her nose, welcoming her back from a hard night.

"Man, I'm hungry!" Saxs's voice shook Noa from her daydream of delightful delicacies. "How soon can we eat?"

A young boy quickly scurried up to them, his face beaming with joy. "You're back!"

A young woman caught up with the child and placed a hand on his shoulder with a mother's grip. "Tyler, you shouldn't go too far from the camp like that!"

Noa met the woman's stressed stature with a warm smile as Saxs squatted, lightly ruffling the boy's hair. "How has the party been while we were away, Milady Solorra?"

Solorra's lips pursed into a blissful grin. Relief tightened her embrace around Noa before she returned to Tyler's side. "Glenn's been doing his best to keep everyone from having nightmares. The Spirits and Chirithies help to a degree, but it feels like he's pushing himself too hard at times…" Her smile dimmed as her eyes darted to the tents. "Does he even get any sleep of his own?"

"Nah. That's what coffee's for!" The pervy pyro winked, his voice carrying an air of levity to it. Noa smile joined Solorra's merry laugh.

"How soon will it be until the food's ready, Milady?" Bael turned his patient gaze to Solorra's. Her eyes flickered with a faint spark at the mention of her nightly chore.

"Oh! It should be done by now, Milord Bael." Solorra quickly curtsied before turning around, leading her child back to the camp. "Come along, Tyler. Let's go find some friends to play with." The young boy's hand in hers, Solorra guided the four towards the campfire, where thick logs and large stones were placed in a makeshift circle surrounding it. A girl in her late teens carefully attended to the pot near the flames, her red hair tied into a ponytail. Some plates salvaged during their escape, along with some improvised plates they created while in the camp, were stacked on a flat stone surface a couple feet away. When she looked up, her face instantly lit up.

"Saxs! Noa! You're okay!" The girl quickly put the cooking utensils down as she rushed over to the small group. Solorra took over the girl's position as Tyler ran after another squealing child his age. She embraced Saxs for a moment before taking a step back to curtsey. After scanning the faces of the four, her smile vanished as quickly as it had popped onto her face. "What happened?"

Noa's body flinched from the impact of Meena's innocent words. Her throat closed up, but she forced out the words: "We lost...Heather and Remnant, Milady Meena."

A familiar expression flashed across the young adult's eyes. Her shoulders slowly lowered as Meena's purple eyes began to puff up with tears. "What about..Maru, Tenshi, and the others?"

"We were too late, Meena," Saxs lowered his head, his voice a soft condolence. "The BB's caught them before we could, and they've turned into _them_."

"They're..really gone…?" Her voice trembled in a weak croak. Meena's knees gave way to the tragic news. Tears quickly seeped from the young woman's eyes. "They can't be…"

"I'm really sorry, Milady Meena." Noa knelt beside her, lightly resting an arm behind Meena's back before standing back up. "We'll find a way to save them. Don't worry!"

With a deep breath, the maiden of light quietly led the others towards the campfire. Each took a seat at one of the numerous makeshift chairs and benches. Soon, others were starting to join them as the food was starting to be served. Noa could tell some of the other members were quietly observing her, even if they never met her patient eyes. Ever since she became the leader of the _Heaven's Knights_ , she strived to lead with a positive example, consulting with Bael on matters she knew the dark lord had more experience with for guidance. Even if she wasn't the best counselor, anyone in her party could always look up to her as a beacon of courage no matter how grim the situation.

Each night, even before their evacuation of Daybreak Town, she usually gave a small speech at the evening meals to recap on the progress of missions, remind the party of events to come, or simply to connect with the party to see how each member was performing. She knew rumors could spread quickly throughout the party, and based on some of the nervous glances some were giving, Noa knew some of the bad news had already started to spread among them.

* * *

 _A word from the Authors:_

 _Hello readers! It's Enigmatic Remnant and the lovely MistressofBetween! We've reached another major point in_ Mutilated Melancholy _, and we've decided to do something different this time- we want to hear_ **your** _feedback! As aforementioned in this chapter, some characters won't be mentioned in our story anymore due to some private matters. As such, this gives us the chance to introduce some "newer" characters into our story! Yes, we know not all are completely new, but in comparison to when we first started writing this story, they had recently joined. However, if you're a "new" new member of the_ Heaven's Knights _party in KHUX, and you'd like to make a debut here in the story, this is your big chance!_ _ *****_ _Also, we want to know how all of you think the story is coming along so far. If you think there's something that isn't entirely accurate, or if something could be done better lore-wise, please let us know in the comments/reviews section._

 _We will also be hosting a Q &A session with all of our readers and friends in the Skype chat, and we'll be posting your questions and our comments in the next chapter! So if you have any queries you've been itching to ask either of us, or even Remnant/Fragment and Tenshi, make sure to ask us in the comments or in the Skype chat! We look forward to hearing from you, and stay comfy on the edge of your seats!_

 _*_ **NOTE:** If you truly are a new member, and you haven't participated much in the Roleplay chat we have in the game or in the Skype chat, please make sure to fill out an application from the survey monkey we have for the party. You can find the link in the party's description, or you can go directly to it here:

r/6W3NF5C

(Every time we tried to post the exact url, it just gave us that small part. Just go to the surveymonkey website and tack the above phrase at the end of the URL. Sorry for the inconvenience!)


End file.
